WHEREAS, United States Army Sergeant Eric L. Snell, of Hamilton, New Jersey, was raised in Hamilton, where he played baseball in Little League and the Babe Ruth League; and

WHEREAS, Sergeant Snell graduated from Hamilton High School West, where he played football, ran track, and excelled as a star baseball player; and

WHEREAS, Sergeant Snell was drafted out of high school in the professional draft by the Cleveland Indians; and

WHEREAS, despite being drafted by the Indians, Sergeant Snell chose to pursue a college education, enrolling at Old Dominion University then transferring and graduating from Trenton State College (now the College of New Jersey); and

WHEREAS, Sergeant Snell subsequently volunteered for enlistment in the United States Army in 2005; and

WHEREAS, Sergeant Snell served proudly in the United States Army where, in only two years, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant; and

WHEREAS, Sergeant Snell was deployed on behalf of his country, to a combat theater, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; and

WHEREAS, Sergeant Snell was killed while conducting combat operations in a time of war in Iraq, as a member of the United States Army's 3rd Battalion, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, based in Fort Carson, Colorado; and

WHEREAS, Sergeant Snell has been recommended for some of our nation's highest military honors; and

WHEREAS, Sergeant Snell was a committed and highly trained professional soldier as well as a loving father, son, and teammate whose memory lives in the hearts of his family, friends, and fellow soldiers and teammates; and

WHEREAS, Sergeant Snell's patriotism and dedicated service to this country and his fellow soldiers make it appropriate and fitting for the State of New Jersey to remember him and his family, to mark his passing, and to honor his memory;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JON S. CORZINE, Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and by the Statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:

The flag of the United States of America and the flag of New Jersey shall be flown at half-staff at all State departments, offices, agencies, and instrumentalities during appropriates hours on Friday, June 29, 2007, in recognition and mourning of a brave and loyal American, United States Army Sergeant Eric L. Snell.

This Order shall take effect immediately.

GIVEN, under my hand and seal
this 27th day
of June,
Two Thousand and Seven, and
of the
Independence of the
United States, the Two
Hundred and Thirty-First.